SEATTLE – The honorary captains last night for the Panthers were Stephen Davis and DeShaun Foster, their two injured running backs who were not in uniform for the NFC Championship Game against the Seahawks. Despite the losses at a key position, Carolina head coach John Fox expressed confidence that the next man in line, Nick Goings, could handle a full load.

After all, Goings last season had five 100-yard games and had played well in spot duty during these playoffs. In this start, though, Goings was ineffective and then incapacitated, leaving for good with 1:20 remaining in the first half after he was shaken up from a hefty hit by linebacker Lofa Tatupu. The Panthers went down meekly, routed by the Seahawks at Qwest Field.

Goings had two yards on five rushing attempts. On his fifth carry, he lowered his head and nailed Tatupu in the numbers. Tatupu fall backward but got back to his feet. Goings stayed down and then slowly wobbled to the sideline, never to return. He was replaced by Jamal Robertson, a fourth-year back with limited experience. It was a deadly blow to a team already hurting in the offensive backfield.

The Panthers finished up the first quarter with six rushing yards and ended the first half with 17 – 15 by Jake Delhomme, two by Goings and Robertson.

*

The Seahawks were one of only seven franchises that had never been to a Super Bowl. They finished the season 10-0 at home . . . Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck is the sixth son of a former Super Bowl player to reach the Super Bowl. Father Don Hasselbeck, a tight end, played for the Raiders Super Bowl team in 1983.

Seahawks RT Sean Locklear started despite an arrest last week on assault charges. Locklear allegedly assaulted his girlfriend in a Seattle bar following last weekend’s playoff victory over the Redskins . . . This was the first road playoff loss ever for Delhomme. He came into the game having already set an NFL record by winning his first four road playoff starts. Delhomme had been 5-1 overall in the playoffs, and his rating of 108.4 was the highest in NFL playoff history.

*

The victory makes Mike Holmgren the fifth coach to take two different teams to a Super Bowl. Holmgren made it with the Packers in 1996 and 1997. The others are Bill Parcells, Dan Reeves, Don Shula and Dick Vermeil. . . . Seahawks WR Bobby Engram left the game in the third quarter with a hip injury and did not return.